Sagemont routs Tampa Prep for 3A title, finishes 33-0

Lions become first Broward boys basketball team to post perfect season (33-0)

February 26, 2014|By Steve Gorten, Sun Sentinel

LAKELAND – Sagemont came out of the locker room at halftime so stoked about its 32-point lead in the state championship that Prince Ali threw down a dunk during warmups – and was swiftly whistled for a technical.

Tampa Prep shot two free throws to start the second half, and then Sagemont continued on with its spectacular show.

Soon, a mercy-rule running clock melted away the rest of Sagemont's 79-48 rout of Tampa Prep Wednesday at the Lakeland Center in the most lopsided Class 3A final since the classification was formed in 1972.

But not before Sagemont coach Adam Ross called timeout with 36 seconds left to send his five seniors back onto the court for the final moments of the school's second title and first undefeated season (33-0) in Broward County boys basketball history.

He wanted "the backbone of our program" to be on the floor and "finish what they started."

"It's hard to put in words the amount of pride I have in this group of kids," said a teary-eyed Ross. "I didn't think I'd get all emotional on them, but we had a great moment together in the locker room one last time as a group. We have had an unbelievable ride of a season!"

When the final buzzer sounded, Ali, the junior guard who was named MVP after 20 points (8-for-12 shooting), 10 rebounds and four assists Wednesday, fired the ball high into the air. Sagemont fans chanted "Un-de-fea-ted" as they clapped.

And the state's first unbeaten team since Tallahassee Rickards took down Brandon Knight's Pine Crest team in 2010 to finish 27-0, celebrated a performance even better than the 19-point semifinal win against 2013 state champ Jacksonville Providence that Ross had deemed "near-perfect."

"You always have a good time when you're playing in a big arena like we did these past two days," said senior guard Joe Kirby. "I'm sure I can speak for everyone else when I say that we had a blast out there."

Sagemont shot 55 percent, including 50 percent (12-for-24) from 3-point range, while holding Tampa Prep to 35.4 percent and forcing 18 turnovers. The Lions' defense, which also produced 11 steals and six blocks, was so stifling that the Terrapins' Michael Fridella said afterward "it was pretty hard to even dribble the ball up the court."

Ali, who's committed to UConn, shined the most, but as usual for Sagemont, it was a balanced effort.

Sagemont, which won its first title in 2011, led by as many as 40 points in avenging its state championship loss to Tampa Prep (29-4) two years ago.

"It was meant to be," Cooper said. "You lose [in 2012] and it's hearbreak. You see our faces crying in the newspaper. To be able to come back, get a big win over Providence and be able to have a rematch with Tampa Prep, it's nice to be able to win like that."

This was a thumping throughout.

The Lions led 30-8 at the end of the opening quarter on Cooper's 3-pointer with three seconds left. The margin ballooned from there. Cooper's stuck in an offensive rebound off the glass just before the halftime buzzer.

"Everybody was hyped, but we knew we had another half," Crawford said. "The starting five, we really wanted to take the game out of reach so we could get the bench players in the game as soon as possible because they deserved to be out there as well, enjoying the moment."

Added Ross: "I'm just thrilled for all these guys. And our seniors are going to go off knowing we accomplished something that nobody else in our county has ever accomplished, which is an undefeated season with a state championship. …Without sounding arrogant because it has very little to do with me and everything to do with our players, I think we're one of the best teams in the country. I'm not ashamed to say that."